: a strongly built powerful boat used for towing and pushing
called also towboat
Examples of tugboat in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The Cuauhtemoc hasn’t sustained any damage to the hull, which would allow it to be moved from Pier 37, on Manhattan’s Lower East Side, with tugboat assistance.
—
Nicholas Williams, New York Daily News, 21 May 2025
Four minutes after the ship left, a radio call went out asking for help from any additional tugboats in the area, followed by other requests for assistance, National Transportation Safety Board investigator Brian Young said at a media briefing Monday.
—Alba Alemán, Los Angeles Times, 20 May 2025
The tugboat, which was called the J.C. Ames, was built for the lumber trade in 1881.
—Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 20 May 2025
Among those whom investigators plan to talk to are the harbor pilot, whose role was to help the Cuauhtémoc navigate New York Harbor’s tricky tides and currents and commercial ship traffic, and representatives of the tugboat company.
—Ed Shanahan, New York Times, 20 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for tugboat
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Nicholas Williams, New York Daily News, 21 May 2025
Four minutes after the ship left, a radio call went out asking for help from any additional tugboats in the area, followed by other requests for assistance, National Transportation Safety Board investigator Brian Young said at a media briefing Monday.
—Alba Alemán, Los Angeles Times, 20 May 2025
The tugboat, which was called the J.C. Ames, was built for the lumber trade in 1881.
—Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 20 May 2025
Among those whom investigators plan to talk to are the harbor pilot, whose role was to help the Cuauhtémoc navigate New York Harbor’s tricky tides and currents and commercial ship traffic, and representatives of the tugboat company.
—Ed Shanahan, New York Times, 20 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for tugboat
Cite this Entry
“Tugboat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tugboat. Accessed 6 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
tugboat
noun
tug·boat
ˈtəg-ˌbōt 
: a strongly built powerful boat used for towing and pushing ships
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share